Large print making

[evesleaves]

Hello fellow photographers!
I am a senior in college working on my final exhibition .
I want to create black and white images the size of 4 feet by 8 feet.
The grain size is not that important to me, but I'd like to have the
image clear.
I only have standard school-size bessler or omega enlargers to work with. Is there a way to create images this size with the enlargers I have, or would I need to work with larger than 35 mm film and enlargers??

Can I buy a roll of paper that I can cut to this size? Where?
If not, could I paint emulsion onto a regular peice of paper and
enlarge it that way?

Can I put an enlarger on it's side and remove the base, then enlarge
it against the wall?
Or could I remove the base, suspend it from the ceiling, stabilize it
somehow, and do it that way?

I could also use projectors.. Should I project a slide image onto
paper instead, and how would I apply contrast filters that way?

Any suggestions are welcome!
Thanks...

 

[Mr_Bester]

You may need a different lens for the enlarger. Most likely you will have to rig your enlarger to project onto a wall and expect extrememly long exposures. Check kodak or ilford for the large paper. I know they have color paper(RA4) in 50" rolls, but I am not sure if they still have B/W paper that size. It will run you a couple hundred dollars, you'll have to buy about 100-150' and use lots of test strips...

We used a metal wall with magnets to make large prints like that, but you may be able to use drywall and tacks, but it does need to be a Black room(like any other darkroom)....

 

[newrmdmike]

i suggest shooting 4x5, scan it, and print it digital.

my school had a printer that would print 4ft x 6 ft . . . just a big epson,

if you could find a lab that had one and would do it i would image it would be the easiest way.

if you use silver paper your going to need some help dev, fix, etc, and a wall to put it on. the times would be crazy long i bet too . . . i would try to have it printed digitally.

pottery barn does big mural prints, they come in 1ft x 8ft strips then got together in up to 12ft x 8ft. (i think)

or one print at 4ft x 6ft

 

[newrmdmike]

the 4ft by 6 is $100

 

[Jeff Canes]

---Can I put an enlarger on it's side and remove the base, then enlarge it against the wall?---

Yes / Maybe, some enlarger have the options that you need to rotate the head 180-deg and hinge the upright post down, or you can disassemble and reassemble as need.

--Can I buy a roll of paper that I can cut to this size? Where?---If not, could I paint emulsion onto a regular peice of paper and
enlarge it that way?-

Yes you can by paper that size, I have seen it in both color and b&w, but not sure where or cost. Likely would be easier to print panels and paste them together, as for painting emulsion not sure if that is workable.

IMO This would be a lot easier with digital, either by scanning the negative or barrowing a 5D or D3, printing panels and paste them together still would likely be the cheapest way, a pro lab in fort Lauderdale that I use can do 48x96 on photo paper $500ish

Look for a billboard printer around you